Book excerpt: Aparna Piramal Raje's life looks successful. Hailing from a well-known business family, she is married, has two children, is a published author, a popular columnist with a leading daily and was the CEO of a leading furniture company. However, only a few close friends and family members were aware that she struggled with a serious mental illness--bipolar disorder--for two decades. Also known as manic depression, bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme shifts in moods and energy levels, leading to euphoric highs and damaging lows. Now, Aparna wants to tell the story of how she learnt to come to terms with her condition. Part memoir, part reportage and part self-help guide, Chemical Khichdi seeks to remove some of the stigma associated with a serious mental illness in an empathetic, accessible and candid way. Its 'seven therapies' present a hopeful and helpful pathway for all those with a mental health condition, their loved ones and their mental health practitioners, with the message that they can live with a vulnerability and thrive.